Thornberg & Forester Delivers Hope with New World Food Program USA Spots

Two new short films from design and integrated production studio Thornberg & Forester that take a fresh approach to humanitarian aid have debuted on behalf of World Food Program USA.  The films are the latest phase in a nearly two-year initiative by the studio to enhance the organization’s brand and drive donations from corporations and individuals.

World Food Program USA is the Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that builds support and resources for the United nations’ World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.  On average, WFP provides food to more than 80 million people annually, including 58 million children, in more than 75 countries.  In addition to school meals and nutrition programs, WFP is also the emergency first responder to emergencies around the world, providing immediate relief in areas struck by natural disasters and civil conflict.

Scott Matz, founder and executive creative director, Thornberg & Forester, spent a week in Tanzania last October, criss-crossing the country by small plane and convoy to shoot homes, hospitals, schools and markets in a range of remote villages.  He was accompanied by a small crew that included noted philanthropic filmmaker Jonathan Olinger, founder of NY-based media company HUMAN, who co-directed the films with Matz.

Thornberg & Forester wrote, co-directed, produced and edited the films.  One looks at a specific WFP initiative, and the other focuses on the organizational brand as a whole.  

“First Things First” is a film about WFP’s “First 1,000 Days” program, providing mothers and babies with the right nutrition for a healthy start from pregnancy through the child’s second birthday.  The two-minute film explains how nutrition is critical during that timeframe in shaping a child’s life, often meaning the difference between a promising future and one plagued by poor health and stunted growth.  It also highlights how WFP reaches four million children under the age of two and three million women across the globe with special nutritional support through the program.

“Delivering Hope One Meal at a Time” is a positioning brand film, explaining WFP’s mission, spirit and ethos while delivering factual information about scope, activities and accomplishments in a resonant and emotive way.